1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to photographic processing apparatus and is more particularly concerned with apparatus in which the photographic material being processed is held in place during the transport cycle by active processing chemicals.
2. Description of the Related Art
International patent application PCT/US90/04918 discloses a transport system in which the back or unsensitized surface of photographic material is held by capillary action against a surface of a transport belt. The belt surface is wetted with water and the material to be processed is placed on to the belt with its sensitized surface facing upwards. Active processing chemicals are then applied to the sensitized surface of the material as it is advanced through the processing apparatus by the belt.
Photographic processes are also known where a chemical package is held against the sensitized surface to affect treatment. Two examples of this type of treatment are in the field of instant photography and a pre-soaked bi-mat belt.
WO89/03728 discloses an arrangement in which processing solutions are supplied to a porous material against which sheet material is transported during processing. The sheet material is transported by means of a belt which acts in conjunction with the porous material to apply the solutions to the material being processed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,620 discloses an arrangement in which a porous spreading element in the form of an endless flexible web moves over a system of deflecting rollers to apply processing solutions to the sensitized surface of the photographic material. At least one of the deflecting rollers is mounted within a processing tank and impregnates the flexible web with processing solution, the material to be processed being introduced between the deflecting roller and the moving web with its sensitized surface being held against the web.
This arrangement has the disadvantage of requiring large volumes of processing solution for application to the moving web and cannot be used with inherently unstable processing solutions.